5 Foods to Help lower cholesterol

High cholesterol has been linked to numerous diseases. Ranging from heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. It is extremely important that you keep your cholesterol at a healthy level. Doing so can be beneficial to your health in the later years. But how can you lower cholesterol? It can simply be done by changing and adding different “cholesterol-busting” foods into your everyday meals. Foods that are high in fibre or low in saturated fats are great to lower cholesterol levels.

So, before you start to prepare your next meal, here are 5 foods that help lower cholesterol. It may come handy if you are looking to plan a healthy cholesterol diet.

Oats

The first step to lower cholesterol is through the most important meal of the day, your breakfast! Oats are high in the soluble fibre called beta-glucan, making it a great food to add to your daily breakfast. It can lower cholesterol by creating a sticky layer in your small intestine. In turn, this sticky layer will stop the bad cholesterol from entering your bloodstream.

Do take note that you should be using natural oats and not instant packs which may be filled with unhealthy ingredients.

Nuts

Walnuts, peanuts, almonds, pecans and other nuts. What do they have in common? Most are rich in protein, fibre and unsaturated fats, and they all help to lower cholesterol. Additionally, nuts also contain natural compounds to block cholesterol.

Studies have shown that just a handful of nuts per day can be beneficial to your cholesterol levels. So, don’t go overboard and start adding too much of it into your diet plan. You can use nuts as the perfect snack when you get hungry in-between meals to lower cholesterol.

Soy

Soy foods like tofu and soy milk were once labelled as an excellent way to lower cholesterol. This is because soy has naturally lower saturated fat. In addition, they contain proteins that regulate the cholesterol in your body. Soy should be one of your go-to foods when someone asks, “how to lower cholesterol”.

Start replacing some of your food with soy-based alternatives. Such as soy milk and yoghurt. There are also soya meat alternatives that you may want to add in your meals.

Fatty Fish

Adding fish high in omega 3 fatty acid into your diet plan a few times a week can be beneficial your cholesterol levels. You can do it by replacing meats which are higher in saturated fats with fish such as salmon. The omega 3 fatty acids will help improve your “good HDL cholesterol”. HDL cholesterol is important as it cleans you’re the cholesterol on your artery walls.

Beans

Beans are packed with soluble fibres, which makes it a great “Cholesterol buster”. A research has shown that consuming beans can lower cholesterol by 5 to 10 percent. Additionally, eating beans can make you feel fuller as it takes longer to digest. In turn, beans can also double as a useful food for weight loss. Beans being such a versatile food means you can easily add them to your meals and deliciously enjoy its benefits.